Folding table



March 24, 1942. H. HOWE FOLDING TABLE Filed June 4, 1941 2 Shets-Sheet 1 iv I r 4W ",KMHM

' ATTORNEY g W IIIL11% h w! 111' H 1 March 24, 1942.; H. HOWE 2,277,435

FOLDING TABLE Filed J1me 4,1941 2 Sheets-Shet 2 jfgizfi I 2a -17 INVENTORI [farm/ :1 I blow I ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 24, 1942 FOLDING TABLE Harold Howe, Rowayton,

Folding Furniture, Inc.,

Conn., assignor to Howe New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application June '7 Claims.

This invention relates to portable furniture and particularly to folding leg structure for tables and the like. Among the objects of the invention is to provide folding leg structure having a maximum'length of leg or leg section which can be folded against the bottom of a table and contained within a given area when folded. Incidental to this object is to provide leg structure having a pair of legs hinged alongside one edge of a table top or given area and located proximate to each other centrally of said edge with the two legs diverging from each other and each leg extending towards a corner of the table top when in the plane of the table and thereby providing the maximum length of leg section that can be placed in one plane while also accommodating a leg or leg section between the pair of legs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding leg structure including three legs each having maximum length with respect to the space available in a plane into which the legs can be folded. In attaining this object consideration has been given to the desirability of obtaining strong and relatively stiff leg structure and bracing having comparable characteristics, all the elements of which are proportioned to utilize all of the available area of a surface to which the legs are attached.

Further and other objects of the present invention will be hereinafter set forth in the accompanying specification and claims and demonstrated by the drawings which show by way of illustration a preferred embodiment and the principle of my invention and what I now consider the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention employing the same principle may be used and structural changes made as desired by those skilled in the art within the spirit of the appended claims and without departing from the present invention.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 illustrates a side view of the leg structure and table top consisting of a case.

Fig. 2 is an inverted view of the leg structure of Fig. 1 showing leg sections raised from the table top.

Fig. 3 is a view from the under side of a table top with the legs in folded position.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the structure shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail showing a form of leg-end which can be fashioned from the lower end of a leg section for providing a footing.

4, 1941, Serial No. 396,523

The usual problem in constructing folding furniture is concerned with providing legs of sulficient strength and length in conjunction with relatively simple pivot and bracing structure. When a table top of restricted area is to be provided with folding legs the small area available for attaching and storing the legs produces other problems which also must be considered. The structure of the present invention provides maximum length of leg for the storage capacity available so that a desired table height and stability may be attained. The problem has been solved by making full use of the area available at the underside of a rectangular table top.

As shown in the drawings, I provide three legs, or leg sections, two of which are similarly mounted on an axis alongside an edge of a table top or given'area and the third of which is pivotally mounted by the opposite edge and centrally of that edge so that the third leg may be folded between the folded positions of the pair of legs. Each leg is preferably constituted of a number of channel sections-which are pivotally connected together in series and so sized that each lower section is containable within the channel of the next higher section for nesting purposes. The length of leg is determinable by the length of the topmost section as well as by the number of sections employed in each leg. It is therefore apparent that any increase in length that may be provided for the top section increases the possible length of leg by the amount of increase that can be gained in the top section times the number of sections. It will be convenient, therefore, to refer to leg length as the length of the upper section of the leg, particularly since in some cases it may constitute the full leg length of a table leg.

Referring to the drawings, legs of a pair of legs of similar construction are marked l0 and H. These legs are mounted upon hinge members which provide side an edge 12 of the table top and sufficiently inside of that edge to mount the hinge brackets i3 and 14 to the underside of the table top I5.

I have chosen to illustrate the application of my invention to a carrier or container for a portable picture projector, which is one of the smaller of portable machines with which my table has great utility. In the present application of the invention the table top I5 is a wall of the container or case It in which a machine is carried.

The available space for storing the folding legs beneath the top 15 is indicated by a dash line a hinge axis A-A which is along- B-CDE which is just inside the outer edges of the top l5. This dash line outlines the free space available at the underside of the table top when the cover 11 is closed against the base and therefore defines the effective area of the table top so far as this invention is concerned.

The cover I! is provided with rails I8 around its four edges which come into contact with the base of the container or table top to form a compartment for containing the legs, when folded. This cover I! is hinged to the base by a pair of hinges I9, 20, which are so constructed that the cover may be swung to a horizontal position for use as a. shelf, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. In that position the cover is supported by means of a folding brace 2| which is pivotally connected to the underside of the cover at 22 and to the third leg 23 at pivot point 24. This brace is of the conventional type having two elements pivotally connected together at 25. The cover I! is illustrated as being in partly open position in Figs. 3 and 4. The cover and its supporting brace are dispensable as a matter of choice and could be omitted when the leg structure is used for supporting an ordinary table top consisting of a flat board, for example.

The hinge means for pivotally connecting the legs 10 and I to the underside of the base include brackets l3 and I 4 which are fastened to the table. Bracket I3 is in U-form. An angle clip 21 is pivotally mounted thereon by a riveted hinge pin 28. A similar angle clip member 29 is pivotally connected to an upstanding flange 30 of the bracket l4 by means of a riveted hinge pin 3|. The two clips 21 and 29 have, extending between them, a saddle member 32 which provides a U-bend 33 for accommodating the free end of the third leg member 23, as in Figs. 3 and 4. The saddle member 32 and clips 21 and 29 are as one piece and could be so made. Leg I is secured to both clip 21 and saddle 32 by means of a rivet 35, and leg H is similarly connected to clip 29 and the saddle by rivet 36.

The principal function of the saddle is to provide positive connection betwen the movable elements of the hinge to which legs l0 and H are attached so that when either one of these legs is rotated about its pivot axis AA, the other leg will be moved through the same arc. It is, of course, apparent that if individual movement of the legs ID or II is desired, the saddle 32 may be dispensed with, it being important, however, that there be space provided between the hinged extremities of legs l0 and II for accommodating the free end of leg 23, as shown in Fig. 3. The two legs l0 and H are so positioned as to diverge from their respective mounting means towards the corners of the table top, marked, respectively, 38 and 39, when the legs are folded.

Preferably along the same hinge line AA and in the vicinity of corners 40, 4| of the table top, are mounted the hinge pins 42 and 43 for the stays 44, 45, respectively. The lower end of stay 44 is pivotally connected to leg ID at 46 and the lower end of stay 45 is likewise connected to the lower end of leg II at 41. It will be apparent from studying Fig. 3 that the stay 44 makes an approximate right-angle with hinge line A-A and that the length of leg I0 is the hypothenuse of a right-angle triangle. Consequently, in the available space, the leg I 0 has the longest possible dimension within a given rectangular area. I have purposely referred to the upper section I 0 as a leg because it is apparent that this section may constitute the full length of the leg if the this length of leg section desired.

of table stability.

The limit of opening movement of leg I0 is determined by a folding brace 48 which is of the connected to the base at 49 and its lower end is pivotally connected to the leg at 46. A similar brace is provided for leg II. The wide spacing or table board l5.

The third or center leg 23 is mounted for Div-- otal movement about a hinge-line FF which is located proximate the edge of the table top and dash line B. Leg 23 occupies practically the entire perpendicular distance between dash lines D and B, Fig. 3. The hinge members comprise a pair of brackets 50, 5|, which are secured to the table top by rivets. A U-member 52 is pivotally supported upon these brackets by rivet pins 53 and 54, and the member 52 is in turn secured to leg 23 by a rivet 55.

a pin 24. It is apparent that it is not nd spens- For carrying or storing purposes the legs are folded as indicated in Figs.

tain the legs. machine is carried within the compartment 65.

sired the cover may be separated from the case i6 by disengaging the hinges. The cover, in its inverted position as shown in Fig. 1, can be used as a tray. Four projections such as shown at 68 are provided, one at each of the corners of the cover, for locating the cover in this position.

All of the leg structure, including the braces, brackets and hinge means, are preferably made of strip metal. No effort has been made herein to describe in detail the leg sections and the manner in which they are formed, because legs suitable for use with this invention are described in my United States Patent No. 2,213,985.

Under certain conditions, it may 'become necessary to utilize the leg structure without fully unfolding the lower sections 69, Ill, that is to say, to use the table at a table height provided by the upper leg or leg sections In, H and 23. Inasmuch as the leg sections are normally made of channel members, out square at their ends, the lower ends ordinarily would not be suitable as good bearing surfaces. However, these lower ends can be finished with outwardly bent flanges designed to provide flat bearing surfaces upon the floor. An example of such a leg is illustrated in Fig. 5. A similar type of footing may be formed from the metal at the lower end of sections 1%], but a rubber bearing element 1 l' is satisfactory.

What is claimed is:

1. A folding table comprising a top and a plurality of legs pivotally connected to the top, each leg being in sections which are pivotally connected together and have an overall folded length capable of being included within the limits of the top when upper pivots of of the top and said edge, and a said pair of legs,

two of said legs alongside an edge proximate each other centrally of pair of braces for each leg of the lower ends of said braces being connected to the leg and the upper ends being connected to the table, one brace of each pair of braces having its upper end removed from the upper pivot of its associated leg and posioutside edge of the top than to the center line of the top which bisects the first-named edge alongside of which the pair of legs are pivotally connected to the top, each of said pair of braces and associated leg being so proportioned that the two legs diverge from each other from their point of pivotal connection to the table top.

2. The folding table structure set forth in claim 1 in which the means for mounting the upper pivots of the pair of legs to the table top comprises a member common to both legs and secured thereto so that both legs move through the same angle when either leg is moved away from the top.

3. A folding table comprising a top and a plurality of legs pivotally connected to the underside of the top, said legs comprising straight bar members, means for mounting the upper pivots of two of said legs alongside an edge of the top and proximate each other centrally of said edge with the two legs diverging from each other from said mounting means, each of said pair of legs having a pair of braces, the lower ends of each of said pair of braces being pivotally connected to their associated leg and the upper ends of each of said pair of braces being pivotally connected to the table top and spaced from each other and from the upper pivot of their associated leg, the

folded, means for mounting the upper pivots of said braces being disposed alongside an outside edge of the top and between said outside edge and the leg with said upper pivots of said braces and of their associated leg forming a triangular base for attachment to the top.

4. The folding table structure set forth in claim 3 in which one of the plurality of legs is a leg pivotally mounted to the top alongside the edge of the top which is opposite from the edge of the top alongside which the pair of pivoted legs are connected to the top, and braces having connection with said single leg and with the top so as to be movable with the leg when the same is moved away from the top, said single leg and braces lying wholly between the pair of pivoted legs.

5. A folding table comprising a top and a plurality of legs pivotally connected to the underside of the top, means for mounting the upper pivots of two of said legs alongside an edge of the top and proximate each other centrally of said edge,

said means comprising a saddle-shaped member supported by hinge means, braces for supporting each of said pair of pivoted legs, said braces each having their lower ends connected to their respective legs and their upper ends connected to the top at points between their respective leg and an outside edge of the table top, a third leg pivotally connected to the table top at one end and disposed when in folded position approximately along a center line of the table top with its free end accommodated by said saddle-shaped member, said pivot end of said third leg being alongside the edge of the table top which is opposite from the edge alongside of which the firstnamed pair of legs are pivotally mounted, and braces secured to said third leg and to the table top for supporting the third leg when in extended position.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which the length of said third leg is such as to extend approximately the full distance between opposite edges of the table top when the leg is against the top and with its free end between the upper pivots of said pair of legs, and the length of each of said pair of legs is such as to extend between the same oppos'te edges of the top on a diagonal.

'7. A folding table comprising a top and a plurality of legs pivotally connected to the underside of the top, means for mounting two of said legs on a hinge axis parallel and proximate to one edge of the top with the hinged ends of the legs towards the mid-portion of said edge, a stay for each of said legs and having pivotal connection to said top on the same hinge axis as that of said pair of legs, said pivotal connections for said stays being located toward opposite edges of the top, means connecting the lower end of each of said stays with an associated leg and forming an approximate right-angle triangle with the section of leg between the stay and hinge as the hypothenuse so that the leg is directed outwardly in the plane of the triangle to provide a broad footing when extended, and a brace for each of said pair of legs, said brace having connection with the top and the leg so as to limit the opening movement or open position of the leg and stay as the same are swung on their common hinge axis.

HAROLD HOWE. 

